Climb from the start word to the target word by changing just one letter at a time, making a real word at every step. Try today's daily ladder or play unlimited random puzzles with 3, 4 or 5 letters, and aim to finish on par.
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How to use the Word Ladder Game
Look at the start and goal words, for example COLD → WARM.
Type a new word that differs from the last word on your ladder by exactly one letter, and press Add word (or Enter).
Every step must be a real word of the same length that you haven't used yet. Green letters already match the goal.
Reach the goal word to solve the puzzle. Par is the shortest possible number of steps; try to match or beat it.
Stuck? Show hint suggests the next word on a shortest route, Undo removes your last word, and Show solution reveals a full ladder.
Think of every word as a point on a map, with a line between two words whenever they differ by exactly one letter (COLD and CORD, for example). A word ladder is then a route between two points. The game uses a breadth-first search (BFS): it visits all words one step from the start, then all words two steps away, and so on, so the first time it reaches the goal it has found a shortest route. That length is the puzzle's par, and the same search powers the hints and the Show solution button.
Par is computed over a list of common words so that the hints and solutions use words you know. The dictionary used to check your moves is larger, so an unusual word can occasionally get you there in fewer steps than par.
Tips for solving word ladders
Fix the vowels first. Vowels are the hardest letters to change, so look at where the goal word's vowels are and move toward them early.
Use the green letters. Letters that already match the goal are highlighted. Avoid changing them unless you have to.
Work backwards. List words that are one letter away from the goal, then try to reach one of those.
Common endings are bridges. Patterns such as -ARE, -ATE, -INE, -OT and -ILL have many neighbors and make good stepping stones.
Allow detours. Sometimes you must change a letter that's already correct and change it back later, because no real word fits the direct route.
Frequently asked questions
What is a word ladder?
A word ladder is a puzzle invented by Lewis Carroll in 1877, who called it Doublets. You turn one word into another of the same length by changing one letter at a time, and every intermediate step must be a real word. For example: COLD → CORD → CARD → WARD → WARM.
What does par mean?
Par is the smallest number of steps needed to get from the start word to the goal word using common English words. The game finds it with a breadth-first search over every word that differs by one letter. Finishing in exactly par steps is a perfect solve; a less common word can sometimes let you beat it.
Which words are allowed?
Any English word with the right number of letters in the built-in dictionary of about 11,000 three- to five-letter words, including plurals and verb forms. Proper names, abbreviations and hyphenated words are not accepted, and you can't use the same word twice.
Can I rearrange letters or add a letter?
No. Each step changes exactly one letter in place, so the word length stays the same and the other letters keep their positions. Adding, removing or reordering letters isn't allowed in the classic rules used here.
When does the daily puzzle change?
A new daily ladder starts at midnight in your local time zone. Everyone gets the same daily puzzle on the same date. Solving daily puzzles on consecutive days builds your streak, which is saved in your browser.
How do hints work?
A hint looks for a shortest route from your current last word to the goal and puts the next word of that route in the input box. It also tells you how many steps remain. Hints are counted and shown in your result.
Is every puzzle solvable?
Yes. Each puzzle is generated by picking a goal word that a breadth-first search has proved reachable from the start word through common words, so there is always at least one ladder of par length.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.